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Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2021 May;103(5):e159-e164

Castle Hill Hospital, UK.

Submental flap (SF) is a reconstructive technique that can be utilised for reconstruction of medium to large oral cavity defects, head and neck cancer, and pharyngocutaneous fistula. The submental artery island flap is pedicled on the submental artery and veins. The vascular pedicle has a length of up to 8cm. Read More

Orv Hetil 2021 04 10;162(17):676-682. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

6 Semmelweis Egyetem, Általános Orostudományi Kar, I. Sebészeti Klinika, Budapest.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Régóta ismert, hogy a daganatokhoz társuló emelkedett vérlemezkeszám rosszabb túléléssel társul. Fej-nyak tumoros betegek esetében kevés információ áll rendelkezésünkre ezzel az összefüggéssel kapcsolatban. Read More

Cancers (Basel) 2021 Mar 31;13(7). Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboudumc, 6525GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor of the skin mainly seen in the elderly. Its incidence is rising due to ageing of the population, increased sun exposure, and the use of immunosuppressive medication. Additionally, with the availability of specific immunohistochemical markers, MCC is easier to recognize. Read More

Laryngorhinootologie 2021 04 30;100(4):303-321. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

In the near future, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors will not only reach the relevant ENT clinics, but also the oncologically integrated ENT practice, since more and more patients under long-term therapy (currently up to 2 years) also have to be seen during clinical follow-up in the specialist practice. In this respect, we also consider as necessary that the basics of immuno-oncology in head and neck tumors are already taught as part of the ENT specialist training. In this review article, the background and the definitions of the therapy sections (first, second line treatment, marker, etc. Read More

Arch Dermatol Res 2021 Feb 18. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Department of Dermatology, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neuroendocrine skin malignancy associated with ultraviolet radiation exposure and the Merkel cell polyomavirus. This study aims to examine associations between primary tumor anatomic site, laterality, and metastases in MCC in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and an academic center MCC database in Rhode Island (RI). A retrospective chart review of 92 MCC cases from RI Hospital and 2845 subjects from the SEER registry was analyzed. Read More

Front Oncol 2020 20;10:560434. Epub 2021 Jan 20.

Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands.

Objective: Determine the presence and prognostic value of human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), and cell cycle proteins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) of non-smokers and non-drinkers (NSND).

Methods: Clinical characteristics and tumors of 119 NSND with HNSCC were retrospectively collected and analyzed on tissue microarrays. RNAscope hybridization (ISH) was used to screen for the presence of HPV and MCPyV mRNA. Read More

Clin Cancer Res 2021 May 5;27(9):2494-2504. Epub 2021 Feb 5.

Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Purpose: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma that can be divided into two classes: virus-positive (VP) MCC, associated with oncogenic Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV); and virus-negative (VN) MCC, associated with photodamage.

Experimental Design: We classified 346 MCC tumors from 300 patients for MCPyV using a combination of IHC, ISH, and qPCR assays. In a subset of tumors, we profiled mutation status and expression of cancer-relevant genes. Read More

Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2020 Oct 24;24(4):e487-e491. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of ENT, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Hospital "SS Annunziata," Chieti, Italy.

 Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine malignant cancer. It is an epidermal cancer common in the head and neck.  Though there is limited number of cases described in the literature for the treatment difficult to obtain. Read More

Prz Gastroenterol 2020 19;15(3):215-219. Epub 2020 Sep 19.

1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.

Introduction: Several reports have stated that thrombocytosis is associated with worse survival and higher rate of metastasis in solid tumours. A study in ovarian tumours implicated IL-6 produced by tumour cells as a key mechanistic factor.

Aim: To evaluate the relevance of this paraneoplastic pathway in gastrointestinal cancer. Read More

Laryngoscope 2021 03 14;131(3):E828-E835. Epub 2020 Jul 14.

Department of Surgical Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Objective: Prognostic factors and optimal treatment approaches for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) remain uncertain. This study evaluated the influences of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) on treatment planning and prognosis.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Read More

Clin Transl Oncol 2021 Mar 4;23(3):434-449. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Radiology Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

The implementation of immunotherapy has radically changed the treatment of oncological patients. Currently, immunotherapy is indicated in the treatment of patients with head and neck tumors, melanoma, lung cancer, bladder tumors, colon cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, liver cancer, leukemia and lymphomas. However, its efficacy is restricted to a limited number of cases. Read More

Dis Mon 2020 Oct 27;66(10):101046. Epub 2020 Jun 27.

Division of Ophthalmology, NorthShore University Health System, 2050 Pfingsten Rd., Ste. 280, Glenview, IL 60026, United States; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. Electronic address:

The periocular region sees high rates of cancer compared to the rest of the body and can be affected by several unique tumors. Treatment typically involves surgical excision, although adjunctive therapies and prognosis vary depending on the diagnosis. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy affecting this region and should be excised promptly. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2020 Jun 28;13(6). Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, West Virginia, USA.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive cutaneous tumour. Most tumours occur in the head and neck, extremities or torso and 36% of them involve the face. Bone marrow involvement in MCC is rare and to our knowledge only nine cases reported in the English literature. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 12 23;163(6):1194-1197. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

The incidence of oral tongue cancer, the majority subsite of oral cavity cancer, is rising among young people with less exposure to tobacco and alcohol. Viral causes have been proposed, including Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). We evaluated patient and tumor characteristics among 126 incident oral cavity cancers (OCCs). Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2021 Feb 11;28(2):1019-1028. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: No adequate biomarker for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) has been identified. Serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been tested and is commonly used as a biomarker for several other small cell malignancies. However, the role of NSE in MCC is still unclear. Read More

Am J Kidney Dis 2020 08 15;76(2):299-302. Epub 2020 May 15.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Electronic address:

J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2020 Jun 5;64(3):435-443. Epub 2020 May 5.

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Background: Immunosuppressed (IS) patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) have worse outcomes compared to immunocompetent (IC) patients, and it is unclear if adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) is beneficial for these patients. We sought to determine the effect of immune status on adjuvant RT efficacy regarding overall survival (OS) for patients with localized MCC.

Methods: This was an observational study of National Cancer Database (NCDB) identifying patients with stage I/II or III MCC with known immune status diagnosed from 2010 to 2014. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2020 08 31;163(2):364-371. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Objective: To evaluate the management and recurrence outcomes of head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma (HN-MCC) at a single institution.

Study Design: A retrospective review of outcomes in patients with HN-MCC.

Setting: A tertiary center from May 1990 to December 2018. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 03 7;17(5). Epub 2020 Mar 7.

1st Department of Surgery, Semmelweis University, H-1082 Budapest, Hungary.

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) may be useful for drawing conclusions about the survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.

Methods: Clinical data of 156 patients managed for HNSCC at two head and neck surgery centres were analyzed retrospectively. We studied the relationships between survival and PLR as well as NLR. Read More

Am J Surg 2020 10 15;220(4):982-986. Epub 2020 Feb 15.

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is widely used for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), however in SLNB positive MCC the role of completion lymph node dissection (CLND) with or without adjuvant radiation therapy is unclear.

Objective: Our goal was to determine the impact of CLND and adjuvant radiation therapy on survival in SLNB positive MCC.

Materials And Methods: We examined 447 patients with MCC with a positive SLNB in the National Cancer Data Base from 2012 to 2015. Read More

Infect Agent Cancer 2020 28;15. Epub 2020 Jan 28.

1Instituto de Alta Investigación (IAI), Universidad de Tarapaca, Arica, Chile.

Background: The role of human polyomaviruses (HPyVs) in epithelial tumors such as head and neck carcinomas (HNSCCs) including oral and oropharyngeal carcinomas has not been established. In this study, we evaluated for the first time the presence of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), BK human polyomavirus (BKPyV), and JC human polyomavirus (JCPyV) in HNSCCs from Chilean subjects.

Methods: One hundred and twenty HNSCCs were analyzed for the presence of MCPyV, BKPyV and JCPyV using real-time polymerase chain reaction procedures. Read More

Diagn Pathol 2020 Jan 30;15(1). Epub 2020 Jan 30.

Pfizer, Inc., La Jolla, USA.

Background: To achieve optimal outcomes, an individual approach is needed in the treatment and care of patients. The potential value of tumor mutational burden (TMB) status and/or programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression as biomarkers to predict which patients are most likely to respond to checkpoint inhibitors has been explored in many studies. The goal of this targeted literature review is to identify data available for TMB status and/or PD-L1 expression that predict response to checkpoint inhibitors and/or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibodies. Read More

Semin Cancer Biol 2020 10 3;65:114-122. Epub 2020 Jan 3.

Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, CT, United States. Electronic address:

Advances in immunotherapy, most notably antibodies targeting the inhibitory immune receptors cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4/CD152), programmed death protein 1 (PD-1/CD279) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1/B7H1/CD274) have become effective standard therapies in advanced malignancies including melanoma,1-4 merkel cell carcinoma5, urological cancers6-8, non-small cell lung cancer9-11, mis-match repair (MMR) deficient tumors12, and Hodgkin lymphoma with response rates ranging from 25 to 60% in the first and second line settings13,14. FDA approval has also been given for treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, triple negative breast cancer, cervical and head and neck cancers with response rates closer to 15 %15. Additionally, some clinical efficacy has been observed in ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and both cutaneous and peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Read More

Facial Plast Surg 2020 Jun 30;36(3):249-254. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine skin tumor with a high propensity for nodal involvement, local recurrence, and distant metastases. Up to 50% of MCC arises on head and neck (HN), which may impede oncological treatment due to insufficiently wide excisions and a lower rate of sentinel lymph node detection due to more complicated lymph drainage. Several studies have compared the clinical outcome of HN-MCC with those of non-head and neck (NHN) MCC yielding inconsistent results. Read More

Oral Oncol 2020 01 9;100:104485. Epub 2019 Dec 9.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. Electronic address:

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy in the world and is reaching epidemic proportions. The most common types of NMSC include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The head and neck is the most common site for NMSC, and surgery remains the mainstay of treatment. Read More

Jpn J Clin Oncol 2020 Feb;50(2):175-184

Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Louisville Hospital, 529 South Jackson Street, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, USA.

Background: We performed an analysis of the National Cancer Database to determine optimal doses of conventionally-fractionated adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with stage I/II or III Merkel cell carcinoma.

Methods: The cohort included 2735 patients with resected Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck, trunk or extremities receiving radiotherapy. Exclusion criteria included doses of radiotherapy <30 or >80 Gy, or dose per fraction >200 or <180 cGy. Read More

Clin Cancer Res 2020 02 31;26(3):545-551. Epub 2019 Oct 31.

Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Purpose: Pathologic response assessment of tumor specimens from patients receiving systemic treatment provides an early indication of therapeutic efficacy and predicts long-term survival. Grading systems for pathologic response were first developed for chemotherapy in select tumor types. Immunotherapeutic agents have a mechanism of action distinct from chemotherapy and are being used across a broad array of tumor types. Read More

Cureus 2019 Aug 25;11(8):e5483. Epub 2019 Aug 25.

Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, JPN.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine neoplasia. Surgical resection is the first-line therapeutic option, and radiation therapy is an alternative treatment for inoperable cases. Herein, we report a case of primary MCC (cT2N0M0, stage IIA) of the head and neck region. Read More

Postepy Dermatol Alergol 2019 Aug 30;36(4):382-391. Epub 2019 Aug 30.

Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute - Oncology Center, Warsaw, Poland.

The introduction of immunotherapy into the treatment of cancer patients has revolutionised the oncological approach and significantly improved patient survival. The key drugs are immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), whose mechanism of action is to elicit immune response against cancer cell antigens. Three types of CPIs are currently used and approved: an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, ipilimumab; anti-PD-1 antibodies, nivolumab and pembrolizumab; and anti-PD-L1 antibodies: atezolizumab, avelumab and durvalumab. Read More

Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019 11 12;57(9):847-856. Epub 2019 Oct 12.

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XX, UK.

This is the third of three articles that give an overview of the current evidence for management of the neck and parotid in patients with cutaneous cancers of the head and neck. In this paper we discuss Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) and review the latest evidence for management of the regional nodes. Read More